Locking stem adjustment valve



Sept. 15, 1953 v. c. PETERSON ET AL 2,652,225

LOCKING STEM ADJUSTMENT VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 23, 1948 INVENTORS. 51 822719077 WM 7 fg AI/// a m w v. c. PETERSON ET AL 2,652,225 LOCKING STEM ADJUSTMENT VALVE Sept. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 23, 1948 INVENTORS. Z/anceni CPeZraow BY ben y Patented Sept. l5, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,652,225 LOCKIN G STEM ADJUSTMENT VALVE Vincent 0. Peterson, Carney, Mich., and Henry H.

N adasdy, Wyman of Illinois Chicago, I

Company, Ch

icago, 111., a corporation assignors to Harper- Application November 23, 1948, Serial No. 61,652 4 Claims. Cl. 251-452) the provision of a new and nnproved locking stem and for locking the valve in off position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved valve of the type set forth in the preceding Other objectsand advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, in the course of which reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

i Fig. l is a side elevational view, partly in axial section, of a valve (minus the conventional operating handle) constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrated in a low position;

Fig. 2 is an end view from the outer-or handle receiving end of the valve shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 illustrating the valve in its ofi position;

are similar to Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating the valve in an intermediate position between the oil and low positions: and

Figs. 8 and 9 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 of the valve in its full on or high position.

The present invention has been illustrated in coniunction with a plural position gas valve H! of the type commonly called a hi h-low valve, having a body I2 and stem adjustment means comprising an auxiliary valve unit 14 adjustable for the purpose of determining the flow of gas in the low osition of the valve and including features disclosed and claimed in the copending applications of Phil p Harper Serial Nos. 576 673 and 576.674, filed February '7, 1945. and of Vincent C. Peterson, Serial No. 600.795. filed June 21, 1945, and assigned to the assignee of this application.

and including the extension The present invention has to do with a mechanism for driving and locking the valve in its off apart radially extending passageways 28 and 3B, the former of which registers shown in Fig. 8 and the latter in the low position as shown in Fig. 1. Passageway 28 extends directly from the axial passageway to the ex terior of the plug, whereas the passageway 30 leads to an annular passageway 32 extending around the auxiliary valve unit and formed as by an annular groove in an insert 34 forming part of the auxiliary valve unit.

The flow of gas in the low position is regulatable by adjustment of a rotatable valve merrber 36 of the auxiliary valve unit which has an enlarged slotted head 38 whereby it can be turned to adjust the registry of openings All and 42 in insert 34 and the rotatable valve member 35, respectively. The insert 34 is fixedly mounted in an axial passageway 43 communicating with the axial passageway 25 and the rotatable valve member 36 extends into a smaller continuation M of the axial passageway through the reduced diameter forward extension 46 of the valve plug which forms. in effect, part of the valve operatingstem.

In accordance with the present invention, the valve is provided with a novel simplified mechaposition. for indicating the various positions of the valve and for determining the oil and high positions, and which is furthermore so constructed that the stem adjustment means is made readily accessible for the purpose of adusting the flow of gas. The mechanism includes what may be considered a two-part stem, indicated as a whole by the reference character 50 45 and a part 52 which is rotatable with but axially movable relative to the part 46. Wlnile the two parts 46 and 52 have been stated to be parts of the stem 50, this is a matter of preference, as the stem can be considered to include either two parts or a portion of the valve plug and a single stem part. Hereafter the two parts will be referred to as parts of the stem and while they will also be so claimed, it should be understood that the terminology is to be considered broadly and to include either a two-part stem or a stem and a portion of the valve plug.

The inner stern portion 46 is provided with the previously referred to axial passageway 44 and the outer portion 52 includes an enlarged tubular portion 52A fitting relatively closely around the outer end of portion 46 and a reduced diameter portion 523 having an axial passageway 54 extending through it and'provided with a flat 56, thereby eiiectively making the outer end D-shaped better nonrotatably to receive a valve operating handle, not shown. The construction, as readily apparent from Fig. is such that the slotted outer end 38 of the rotatable auxiliary valve element St can be reached by a screw driver after removal of the handle for the purpose or adjusting the flow of gas.

The mechanism includes, in addition to the operating stem, but a few readily made and assembled parts. These are, in the main, 2. combined driving, locking and indicating washer B and a locking and position indicating end cap or plate 62 secured to the front of the valve body as by screws 63. The washer 66 surrounds the stem portion 45 and is secured to the inner end of portion 52 in suitable manner, as by peening. It includes a number of projections, one being a radially inwardly extending projection E4, in the nature of a tongue and extending into an axially extending slot 68 in stem portion 48, thereby providing a driving connection between the two stem parts and yet enabling the parts to be moved axially relative to each other. Another projection is the radially. outwardly extending projection 68, also in the nature of a stop defining shoulders and #2 formed at the front oi the valve body and determining the off and full on positions of the valve plug, re-

spectively. v

The valve stem or, more particularly, that portion carrying the washer'is forced outwardly so that the washer bears against the plate 62 by 'a spring H3 encircling stem portion 46 and bearing'against the washer 6! and a-shoulder 18 formed in the valve plug.

The valve is locked in its oiT position, inwhich it is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, by the projection 68 and by a radially extending recess 88 in which the projection 68 is' yieldably held by the spring 16'. The recess 80 is formed in suitable man nor, as by shoulder l0 and an inwardly stamped portion 82 of the plate 62. The end 34 of this portion, which forms a shoulder, is quite square so'that the outer portion 52 of the valve stem has to be pushed inwardly before the valve plug can be rotated. Once the stem is pushed in and turned slightly, the projection 68 bears against the undersuriace of "portion 82, which has an arcuate length such that the projection 58 falls off of it in the low position, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The shoulder 86 off which the projection falls in this low position is inclined somewhat so that the low position can readily be determined by a restraint to movement when tongue, which is movable against .4 the valve plug is being turned from its high position toward the off position.

The operation of the valve as a whole will now be described. Assuming first that the valve is in its off position, then the parts occupy the positions in which they are illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The valve plug is locked by reason of the locking projection 68 being yieldably held in recess by the spring 16. The shoulder 84 of the recess forming means is square so that it is necessary to move inwardly the outer part 52 of the stem before the valve can be unlocked.

To unlock the valve it is necessary only to move the outer stem part 52 axially inwardly, thereby to move the washer 60 inwardly so that the projection 68 is moved out of the recess 8B. In normal operation, the valve is unlocked in the foregoing manner and initially turned to its full on position, i. e., to the position where projection 68 abuts against shoulder 12, as illustrated in Fig. 9.

To turn the valve plug to its low position, as from the full on or high position, the stem and plug are turned in a clockwise direction from the position of Figs. 8 and 9 to the position of Figs. 1 and 2. When the low position is reached, the projection 68 strikes the inclined shoulder 86 on plate 62 and the movement of the plug is restrained, thus indicatingthat the valve has been moved to its low position.

To move from the low to the off position, the stem and plug are turned so that the projection 68 rises along the shoulder 86 to a position such as indicated in Figs. 6 and '7. The movement is continued until the projection 68 strikes shoulder 10 whereat the spring 16 moves the stem part 52 and the washer 66 outwardly placing projection 68 into recess 80 and thus looking the valve in its off position.

While the present invention has been described in connection with the details of a particular embodiment thereof, it should be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except in so far as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described by invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure .by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. .A stem adjustment high-low valve including a valve element, an operating tubular stem portion extending outwardly from the element having an axially extending slot therein, a second tubularstem portion fitting movably but relatively closely around said first portion, a, locking and driving washer encircling said extension and secured to said second portion and having radially. inwardly and outwardly extending tongues, said inwardly extending tongue extending into said slot and connecting said stem portions for angular movement with the valve element, and the valve including means. defining a locking recess adapted to receive said outwardly extending tongue in one position ofthe valve element.

. 2. A stem adjustment high-low valve including a valve element, an operating tubular stem portion extending axially outwardly from the valve element having an axially extending slot therein, a second tubular stem portion fitting movably but relatively closely aroundsaid first portion, a locking, indicating and driving washer secured to said second portionhaving radially inwardly and outwardly extending tongues, said inwardly extending tongue extending into saidslot and connecting said stem portions. for rotation 5 of the valve element, a locking plate fixedly secured to the valve having an axially inwardly extending portion defining a pair of spaced apart shoulders, one of said shoulders sided and located so that when the valve element is in its off position the outwardly extending tongue on said washer is engageab e thereby to lock the element toward said 3. A gas valve including a valve element, an operating stem portion of the valve element.

4. A locking type gas valve including an axially extending valve element, an operating stem portion, a second stem portion drivingly connected to the first portion and axially movable relative to said second stem portion and having a locking projection located radially outwardly from said second stem portion, stationary structure on the valve having a recess adapted to receive said locking projection, and spring means acting on said second stem portion and washer for yieldably holding said locking projection in said recess.

VINCENT C. PETERSON. HENRY H. NADASDY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

